Contact: David Almasi at 202/543-4110 x11
or (after business hours only) 703/568-4727
or [email protected]

Black Activists
Speak Out on Bush Supreme Court Nomination

With tonight's announcement
of a Supreme Court nominee, members of the black leadership network
Project 21 implore senators to engage in a quick and fair confirmation
process that is free of partisanship and political power-plays.

"The President has chosen.
It is now prudent that this nominee be accorded fair and timely
proceedings that are free of the rancorous hyperbole Americans
have witnessed in the Senate over the past few years," said
Project 21 member Mychal Massie. "This process is not about
left or right, but rather about the nominee's willingness to
support and defend the Constitution. Let us hope that those who
have asked to share their opinions with the President and had
their voices heard do not now choose to apply an ideological
litmus test to the process."

President George W. Bush met
with Senate leaders about potential candidates prior to tonight's
announcement, and he and members of the White House staff have
had direct contact with at least 60 senators during the selection
process.

"Let's hope this confirmation
process is free of any and all litmus tests and other types of
political wrangling," said Project 21 member Darryn "Dutch"
Martin. "A nominee should be judged on their merits and
strict adherence to our Constitution."

Project 21 takes no position
on the confirmation of any particular judicial nominee, but believes
that it is in the best interest of the United States that judicial
vacancies are filled with appropriate speed.
Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, has been
a leading voice of the African-American community since 1992.
For more information, contact David Almasi at (202) 543-4110
x11 or [email protected],
or visit Project 21's website at http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html.
New Visions Commentaries can be found at http://nationalcenter.org/P21NewVisions.html.